Blue Springs’ Eisenreich nabs prestigious acting award

Kelly Evenson - kelly.evenson@examiner.net

Saturday

May 26, 2012 at 12:01 AMMay 26, 2012 at 3:19 PM

Tyler Eisenreich was so surprised after he was received the Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role Award during Starlight Theatre’s Blue Star Awards that the 2012 Blue Springs High School graduate was literally shaking.

Tyler Eisenreich was so surprised after he was received the Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role Award during Starlight Theatre’s Blue Star Awards that the 2012 Blue Springs High School graduate was literally shaking.

“I can’t describe how shocked I was. I had no idea that it would actually be me that won,” he said. “The whole thing seems unreal.”

Eisenreich won the award during Thursday’s Blue Star Awards Ceremony at Starlight Theatre. A panel of three judges attended musical productions from each participating school during the 2011-12 school year. Eisenreich was recognized for his role as Jimmy in the high school’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”

“The judges talked about my professionalism and how it was not the stereotypical guy character,” he said. “They said I made him more real and more three-dimensional. It was really just a fun character to play.”

As the lead actor winner, Eisenreich has qualified to attend the National Musical Theater Awards in New York City at the end of June. At the end of the week-long event filled with workshops and other learning opportunities, two grand prize winners will be selected from the group of student performers. The winners receive a tuition assistance to attend New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, New Studio on Broadway. The scholarship is contingent upon acceptance into the New Studio at NYU.

Lisa Lowman, Eisenreich’s director at Blue Springs High School, said she is excited for him to have this kind of opportunity.

“They do it (the Blue Star ceremony) like the Tony Awards, so when we heard his first name, we were screaming very loud,” she said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for him to have.”

Eisenreich said his current plans are to remain in the area for the next year because he is under contract with the Coterie Theatre for its production of “Spring Awakening.” In fall 2013, he plans to attend the University of Cincinnati, unless other opportunities present themselves.

“I plan to continue to perform, no matter where it is. I just want to be on stage,” he said. “This part has to be the biggest moment in my high school theater career. It trumps everything else. The feeling is amazing.”

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